Why is there a snake on the Philadelphia 76ers court, explained

If you’re watching the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time this year, you may be asking yourself what the snake means on their home court. It’s all about American history.

You’re not alone if you tuned in to watch a Philadelphia 76ers game and wondered if that was indeed a snake on the court. The snake is at both ends of the court and is the first thing casual and even some die-hard fans of the NBA and 76ers are asking when they watch the team.

The snake on the 76ers court is an homage to a drawing by Ben Franklin, the first most famous person from the city that would be later known as The City of Brotherly Love.

According to The Washington Post, the snake drawing was first published in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754 and has been considered the first political cartoon.

Explaining the meaning behind the snake on the Philadelphia 76ers’ court

"“Franklin’s snake drawing was published in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754 as what’s commonly considered America’s first political cartoon. His snake is cut into eight segments, each representing an American colony (or region, in the case of New England) with the phrase “Join, or Die” written below it. The image accompanied Franklin’s persuasive editorial about the “disunited state,” delivering a message during the French and Indian War that America would be strongest if united. Back then, word was a severed snake could be resurrected if the pieces were reattached before sunset.”"

So there you have it, the snake on the Philadelphia 76ers court is a throwback to the mid-1700s when the United States was not yet the United States. People may know Ben Franklin for being the face of the $100 bill, or mistakenly think he was one of the first presidents of the country.

However, now you’ll know he is the reason there is a snake logo on the home court of the Philadelphia 76ers 268 years after his political cartoon was first created.

For all the history buffs doubling as fans of the 76ers, you may have known this tidbit and you can impress all your fans with this certainly unique piece of NBA trivia.